Democratising education: Students protest against rise in varsity fee

ABBOTTABAD:

Students from government colleges, on Saturday, blocked the Abbottabad-Haripur Road to protest against an increase in fees by Hazara University and warned against launching a movement to reverse the hike if the decision was not rescinded by Monday.

Students from Government Degree College Havelian boycotted their classes and took out a procession. The protesters blocked the normally busy road leading to Haripur, suspending traffic for over two hours.

The students threatened to close all government colleges in Hazara and launch a protest movement against the provincial government and the administration of Hazara University if the decision was not reversed by Monday.

Student leaders criticised the university’s4 administration for the recent increase in examination and admission fees which they claimed was over 100 per cent. Comparing the hike to the fee structure of Peshawar University and other institutions in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, they said that HU was the only higher education institution which had made higher education expensive for poor students.

They said countries with low literacy rates prefer to encourage maximum enrollment in higher education and ensure that it remains accessible for low-income students, but in Pakistan and especially Hazara division, the government is closing the doors to education.

They accused the provincial minister for higher education, Qazi Muhammad Asad, who belongs to Hazara, for failing to protect the rights of his people despite being an elected representative.

Meanwhile, students of Government Degree College Balakot also took to the streets against the HU’s decision and blocked the Kaghan Road. They reopened the road for traffic after an hour and dispersed peacefully, however, on the request of the police.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2012.